Thieves World 3 – Shadows of Sanctuary by Asprin, Robert

speed that belied his age.

‘One-Thumb,’ he cackled with calculated joviality, ‘welcome back!’

The massive figure straightened and turned, focusing vacant eyes on the

intruder. ‘Hakiem!’ The fleshy face suddenly wrinkled with a wide smile. ‘By the

gods – the world is normal.’

To the storyteller’s amazement, One-Thumb seemed on the verge of tears as he

stepped forward, arms extended to embrace the old man like a long-lost son.

Recoiling, Hakiem hastily interposed his wine cup between them.

‘You’ve been gone a long time,’ he said, abandoning all semblance of subtlety.

‘Where have you been?’

‘Gone?’ The eyes were vacant again. ‘Yes, I’ve been gone. How long has it been?’

‘Over a year.’ The storyteller was puzzled, and insatiable.

‘A year,’ One-Thumb murmured. ‘It seems like … the tunnels! I’ve been in the

tunnels. It was…’ He paused to take a long swallow of wine, then absently

filled Hakiem’s cup as he launched into his story.

Accustomed to piecing together tales from half-heard words and phrases, the

storyteller rapidly grasped the essence of One-Thumb’s ordeal.

He had been trapped by a magician’s spell in the tangle of tunnels below

Sanctuary’s streets. Confronted by an image of himself, he had killed it and

been slain in turn – over and over until this night when he miraculously found

himself alone and unscathed.

As One-Thumb redoubled his lurid description, describing the feel of cold metal

as it found its home in one’s innards – again and again, Hakiem pondered the

facts of the story. It fitted.